Effect of Verticillium lecanii on date palm dubas bug (Ommatisscus lybicus Asche and Wilson)‎ ‘In vitm’

Abstract EN

Date palm (Phoenix dactylifera L.) is an important fruit tree and cash crop in the Sultanate of Oman.

At present dubas bug (Ommatisscus lybicus Asche & Wilson) is a serious pest on date palms and it is controlled by aerial and ground spraying of chemical insecticides.

Biological control may be a viable and safe way to manage this pest.

The biofungicide Mycotol ® (Verticillium lecanii) used for greenhouse whitefly (Bemisia tabaci Gennadius) control was tested against dubas bug under controlled conditions.

Nymphs and adults of dubas bugs were released on date palm seedlings sprayed with the bioagent.

Results revealed that Verticillium lecanii (Zimm.) Vieggas was more effective against nymphs than adult.

It was also observed that with advancement of time the percent of mortality increased gradually both in the nymphs and adults.